The Winter Solstice: A Cassandra Blake Mystery

Chapter 3.2

Malekai’s wolf raised his head up and looked out the cave entrance. From the lengthening shadows, he knew that soon the alarm on his phone would sound, and they would need to start back to town. He shifted back to his human form, pulled a blanket over himself, and continued to lay beside Cassie’s wolf with his arm under her chin. He gently stroked the fur on her head and face while she dozed.

Cassie’s wolf stirred as she felt human hands stroking her fur. She knew it was Malekai and wondered why he had shifted. She raised her head and scooted back slightly before returning to her human form. He immediately wrapped one of the blankets around her and pulled her close to keep her warm.

“Did you have a nice nap?” Malekai asked her.

“I did. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being you. For wanting to take care of me and for doing it even when I argue and tell you not to do it,” Cassie told him with a hint of a smile on her lips.

“That’s what we do, Cass. We take care of each other. We have done it since we were babies, and that will never change,” Malekai told her as he kissed her on the head. “I hate to spoil this mood, but we should head back soon. I don’t want more rumors to start if we both show up late tonight.”

“True, and that also means you will have to let go of me so I can shift,” Cassie laughed. “What do you want to do with the blankets? Are you going to send Aaron back to get them?” she asked as she stood up, still wrapped in one.

“No. I thought we could leave them here until you go back to Seattle. That way, if we come for another run, we have them to use,” Malekai told her as he stood.

“I like that idea. Now, we need to get back to town so we can get ready for tonight,” Cassie said.

Malekai winked at her before he dropped his blanket onto the pile and shifted. Cassie followed suit, shaking out her fur and stretching before walking up to Malekai. Her wolf, Freya, walked up to Malekai’s wolf, Sebastian, and paused, looking at him with bright eyes full of mischief. Freya gently nuzzled Sebastian’s fur around his neck and ear, making him relax and close his eyes as he enjoyed the attention. Without warning, Freya stuck her nose in Sebastian’s ear and blew hard, making him jump and shake his head furiously. Sebastian looked at her in surprise as she gave him a wolfish grin and darted out of the cave. Sebastian’s tongue lolled out of his mouth in a laugh before he grabbed their backpack and chased after her.

“Our girls are better now,” Sebastian said to Malekai in his head.

“Yes, they are, but something is still wrong with them. Cassie has me very worried. I still wish she would talk to me and tell me what it is,” Malekai confided in his wolf.

“Freya knows what it is, but she refuses to say it so she does not break the trust she has with Cassie.”

“As infuriating as I find it, I’m glad she feels that way. They are a good match, and Freya protects her in ways we can’t,” Malekai told him.

It took only moments for them to catch up to where Freya was. They were better, but it quickly became apparent that something was still very wrong with Cassie and her wolf. Instead of continuing to run, they had slowed to a trot and were clearly already tired. Malekai’s heart felt like it was in a vise when he saw her outside the cave. He didn’t say anything to her as they made their way, side by side, to the ancient cedar, where they would get dressed before walking back into town in their human forms.

They ducked under the shelter of the tree branches and shifted back into their human form. As the pair got dressed, Cassie noticed that Malekai kept looking at her and had a worried look. After she pulled her sweater on and saw him do it again, she could not take it any longer.

“Why do you keep looking at me, and why do you seem so worried?” Cassie asked. “Did Aaron give you bad news, and the festival is going to crash and burn tonight?”

Malekai avoided her gaze and replied, “No. Aaron did not link me and give me bad news about the festival. Watching Freya struggle against the snow, which isn’t that deep, has Sebastian and I both worried about the two of you. You’re our girls, and we can’t handle anything happening to you.”

“Kai, we are both fine. I keep telling you that. Please believe me,” Cassie begged as she sat on the ground to put on her socks and boots.

“We do believe you, but that doesn’t keep us from worrying,” Malekai said as he sat beside her to put on his socks and boots. He finished before Cassie and stood, holding his hand out to help her stand. “Come on, I will walk you home.”

They walked back to Cassie’s childhood home in comfortable silence. The afternoon out had helped their spirits to calm in a way they both needed. They quickly went up the stairs to Cassie’s room when they arrived at the house. Cassie took off her coat and threw it over a chair before grabbing a small pouch out of her bag. She headed to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her as Malekai took off his coat and laid it on the chair with hers. After a few moments, she exited the bathroom, fumbling with the pouch as she tried to zip it closed. The bag slipped out of her hands, hitting the floor and allowing a bottle of medication to roll across the floor, bumping into Malekia’s foot.

Malekai picked up the bottle as Cassie dove for it and read the label. “What is this?” He asked as he tried to process what it was. “Cass? Do you have cancer?”

Cassie dropped onto her bed and answered, “No. I do not have cancer.”

“Then why are you taking this? I know these are hormone blockers that are used to treat cancer. One of the clerks at city hall took the same drug when she was undergoing treatment.”

“It is to help keep me from going into heat again.”

“Again? What do you mean again? When did you go into heat?” he asked with an expression of total shock as he sat on the bed beside her.

“The first time was in January, just after my last visit here.”

“And since then?”

“More often than I would like. Even though it blocks most of it, I still have symptoms and side effects from the medication,” Cassie told him, relieved that it was no longer a secret between them.

“That’s why you are so tired and worn down, isn’t it?”

“Yes, and Freya can’t help with the fatigue without removing the medication, which would send me into full-blown heat. That is something I do not wish to repeat,” Cassie admitted.

“Who else knows?’ Malekai questioned.

“My doctor in Tacoma, Miss Maggie, and you as of today. That’s it.”

“That is why you wanted to go to Miss Maggie’s shop, wasn’t it?”

Cassie laughed, “Part of it. I went in to pick up my normal essential oils and lotions from her each time I come back because this is the only place I can get them. When she took my hand, she knew instantly. That is why she told you to leave. She could tell I didn’t want anyone to know.”

Malekai blew a long slow breath out through his pursed lips. “Did she give you anything to help you?”

“She wants me to come back the day after tomorrow, and she wants me to bring you for some reason. She told me she would try to have something ready for me by then. Will you be able to go with me?”

“Of course, I will go with you. But I find it odd that Miss Maggie wants me to be there with you.”

“I do too, but there is nothing we can do about that,” Cassie declared as she stood. “I say we do our best to forget about all of this for now. Right now, we need to go to the festival.”

Malekai stood and wrapped his arms around Cassie, pulling into his chest tightly. “You’re right. We can’t solve this tonight. I wish I could, but I can’t. For now, I want to have as much fun as we can and for tonight to be memorable for all the right reasons.”